A good Samaritan and his 10-year old son pursued a shoplifter outside Walgreen's in Burien Wednesday night on their bikes, before the Father was assaulted numerous times on Ambaum Blvd. and SW 136th Street near Chelsea Park.

The good news is that the suspect was captured and arrested by police as he was hiding in a garage near SW 135th Street.

The bad news is that the good Samaritan was repeatedly assaulted, suffered head injuries (including a possible concussion) and a bloody nose, and ended up at Highline Medical Center.

Robbin Geiger and his son were on their bikes outside Walgreen's at SW 148th and Ambaum when a thief exited the store around 6:30 p.m. A clerk shouted out that the suspect had stolen some food, and that's when Robbin started the pursuit.

Normally we tell these stories using police as our main source (and there were plenty of police on hand – at least four or five cruisers and the KCSO's Guardian One chopper circling overhead), but this one's different – we were able to speak directly with Cooper Geiger, 10, the son of the good Samaritan.

Cooper told the story to The B-Town Blog and a Seattle TV News Videographer in excited, detailed tones that rivaled a young Ron Howard portraying Opie (as he spoke to us, we practically expected Andy Griffith to show up and pat the red-headed boy on the head).

Cooper's detailed, intelligent explanation of the crime reminded this Reporter of a young Opie from "Mayberry R.F.D."

"My Dad tried to detain the suspect when he found out he had stolen from Walgreen's," Cooper said matter-of-factly. "The shoplifter kept knocking my Dad off his bike and hitting him, then gave him a bloody nose near the Dairy Queen."

But that didn't stop Cooper's Dad, who got back on his bike and chased the suspect further north on Ambaum, before finally tussling with him on SW 136th, where he got knocked down and suffered a head injury.

"After he got hit down and hurt his head my Dad was very confused," Cooper told us. "He kept asking the same questions over and over, didn't know what day it was or even what two times two was. That's also when I noticed he had blood on his face, shirt and hands."

Robbin was taken to Highline Medical Center. His condition is unknown.

Cooper said that his Dad caught up to the suspect many times, tried to detain him, but the thief kept getting away. At one time Robbin told passersby that he had "been hit" and some thought that he had been struck by a vehicle. Someone called 911 and police responded quickly as our hero kept pursuing the bad guy, even though he was bloodied and injured.

The chase culminated on SW 136th near Chelsea Park, where the thief knocked the victim to the ground, causing a bloody head injury and possible concussion.

"The sad part of this is that this was all over a can of soup and some beef jerky," Sgt. Pat McCurdy of the King County Sheriff's Office told us. "The suspect is a known drug user and he was stealing food from Walgreen's. He assaulted a clerk and left the store and that's when the good Samaritan got involved."

As we learn more about this crime, including the condition of Robbin, we'll update this post.

In the meantime, we'd like to give a virtual high-five to young Cooper for sharing this story with us, along with a "get well soon!" cheer to good Samaritan Robbin.

Even though Aram and Armen Stepanyan have been living in Moscow for the past twenty years, they haven’t forgotten their native village of Darbas, nestled in the picturesque Lordzor valley of Syouniq.

The two brothers have financed the restoration of the St. Stepanos Church in Darbas and have now set their sights on the historic Arzouman Bridge that spans the Vorotan River.

They have set up the Darbas Patriotic Union to collect funds from former village residents to finance such restoration projects which they believe can spur local development and stem the tide of further exodus.

"Due to the tremendous work carried out by the Stepanayan brothers, the numbers of those leaving the village is decreasing annually. What’s most important is that our young people are now making a living right in the village. There are about 150 residents from the villages of Shamb, Darbas and other nearby communities working in local factories," says Darbas Mayor Robert Khachatryan.

According to the only remaining inscription, the bridge was built in 1675 but has been unusable for many decades.

It can only reached by foot. The only way to get construction materials to the site is by donkey.

An observation site will also be built nearby, allowing visitors to enjoy the spectacular natural landscape up close and in person.

The arched bridge is made of polished stones. One side of the bridge had to be artificially elebvated to correspond to the height of the other.

Father Untza, the village priest, says that the reopening of the bridge will allow pilgrims to more directly travel to the Monastery of Tatev.

Nerses Stepanyan, the father of Aram and Armen, proudly says that his sons remain close to their roots and that their primary objective to assist in the improvement of conditions in the village and to keep residents from leaving.

"Even though my sons have their own business in Moscow, they see the future of their children in the motherland," says Nerses.

In 2010, the brothers built water and canning factories in the village of Shamb taht are run by their parents Amalya and Nerses.

(This article is part of the OSCE sponsored "Raising Public Awareness and Participation in Syouniq Province Through Developing Reporters Resources" project)

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS: A festive event dedicated to the
Armenian Independence Day took place in the municipality of Cleveland
city, which is in U.S. state of Ohio. Mayor of the city Frank G.

Jackson, members of the government, authorities and two representatives
of Armenian community attended the event. As Armenpress was informed
from the Armenian MFA press, informational and public relations
department, after congratulating the presents Mayor Jackson referred
to the Declaration of 21st anniversary of Armenian Independence in
which it was mainly noted "Being the first Christian country Armenia
founded its First Democratic Republic after the Genocide of 1915
and on September 21, 1991 it restored its Independence without the
intervention of any external force". The Declaration highly evaluates
the fact that Armenia has become a strong, flourishing and safe country
and at the same time defended the Independence of Nagorno-Karabakh. It
was also highlighted that Cleveland is glad to have such Armenian
community with its cultural, religious and social values.

SANTA CRUZ -- A lighthearted video project that sent a 4-year-old Aptos boy's toy train into the stratosphere has captured the hearts of YouTube viewers this week.

"A Toy Train in Space" has been viewed nearly 100,000 times since it was posted Thursday evening, much to the delight of its producer and doting father, Ron Fugelseth of Aptos.

Fugelseth is co-owner and creative director of Santa Cruz-based Oxygen Productions Inc., a motion graphics and film production studio. He said he was inspired by watching a high-schooler's video of a "Lego man" sent high above the Earth with a weather balloon. Fugelseth had made a short clip about Jayden, his 4-year-old son, and his attachment to Stanley the toy train. So he decided to take Stanley to the next level -- 18 miles above Earth.

"I figured if two high school kids can send a Lego man to space, then I, as a grown man, can make Stanley to space," Fugelseth said Friday.

"I'm not a genius who came up with it, I just pieced it together" from others' projects, he said.

He found a weather balloon and rigged a Flip camera to a pole with Stanley on the end of it.

Then he made a box of foam and filled it with an old Boost Mobile phone that could relay GPS coordinates to another cellphone to track it. He added pocket warmers on the electronics' batteries so they wouldn't freeze up in the colder high altitudes.

The first plane is ready for departureThe first plane, carrying humanitarian aid for people suffering from the civil war in Syria, is ready for departure.Almost 1500 cases with medicine, food and other articles of prime necessity are ready for transportation. The first phase of “Help Your Brother” initiative, which was created due to efforts of national Scout Movement of Armenia “HASK”, NGOs from Armenia and Artsakh, as well as many private individuals, will end by that. In the nearest future humanitarian aid of the same volume is planned to send to Syria 3 more times.

When I visited Armenia in 1999 (which was my first trip back since we moved to US) I stayed with Tereza Mirzoyan. Her apartment was a living museum and a sanctuary. It had this distinct aroma of antique furniture, sculpting materials, oil paint and books ... It was intoxicating and so comforting. I have gone back several times since then and regardless of where I have stayed I have not felt as comfortable and "at home" as in her little flat on Tamanyan st ... I am fortunate enough to have one of her sculptures (it's an Angel that watches over our little family) and am fortunate enough to have known her and spent time with her, listening to her fasinating stories of the past ...

Hi Ashot (Yerkat)Sanamian? Good to see again. Is that your real name?
Do you know Emil Sanamian, an ex bakutsi,the present chief editor of the Armenian Reporter.
I am sure you know that “sanam” is from the Persian to mean (pagan) statue much like that of Anahit.
The furks pronounce it “senem”. I have known many an Armenian woman named so.
See Senem Saatjian way at the bottom here;http://en.wikipedia....ral_High_School